Zelda Breath of the Wild is one of the few single-player games with long-lasting selling power. Why?

[Sammy Samusu]

Breath of the Wild is a hardcore single-player adventure game, it was supposed to sell well at launch and drop off the charts few months after. That's what happened to every other game in the series history, and the same is true for pretty much every other single-player player game out there.

But Breath of the Wild is doing something different, it's heading for its second year in the market, but it's still charting worldwide, at full price.

Why is that? Is it the tag of best game of all time? Is it the Legend status?

What did Breath of the Wild do that other single-player games aren't doing?

 

[CrazyDude]

Good games sell. It's also one of the must have title is you are getting a switch.

 

[PopsMaellard]

It's arguably the best game ever made, and absolutely the best game on the Switch.

 

[DeeDogg]

It's a new entry in an extremely long lasting series of beloved and critically acclaimed games. Plus it's a very good game on its own merit :D

 

[louisacommie]

Zelda is the goat franchise

 

[Mary Celeste]

because it's a masterpiece and (almost more importantly) is stuffed full of content so you get a lot of bang for your buck

 

[ckareset]

Nintendo Switch games drought.

 

[ASaiyan]

Combine robust physics and AI with a massive and varied world map to create unique emergent gameplay experiences that can occur anytime, anywhere, and never really get old.

 

[Zedelima]

Its one of the best games ever made

Its zelda

Switch is selling well

Etc etc etc

 

[SolVanderlyn]

Flagship title for Switch, lots of different possibilities for replays, dynamic gameplay makes everyone's experience different, lots of good press and word of mouth. But really, people probably get it as THE game to get with their Switch.

 

[SmarmySmurf]

Lots of open-world SP games have "long lasting selling power". What kind of question is this? BOTW doesn't have an especially long tail.

 

[Jbone115]

Nintendo Switch games drought.

Click to shrink...

[Please be joking, please be joking, please be joking...]

 

[night814]

It's a really great game that had some really great word of mouth, I have to imagine it keeps selling because it's the go-to game for when you first get a switch.

 

[Seahawk64]

One of the best games ever made.

One of the greatest franchises of all time.

Game of the generation.

 

[joe_zazen]

Nintendo has the biggest and most loyal fanbase in videogames. When they buy a new Nintendo console, they buy Nintendo games. Odyssey, MK, Smash Ultimate, Zelda, etc will all keep selling until the next console comes out.

 

[Grapezard]

Heavy acclaim and heavier association with the Switch itself. Makes for the evergreen of evergreens.

 

[Sammy Samusu]

Good games sell. It's also one of the must have title is you are getting a switch.

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True. But why is Horizon and God of War no longer charting if that's the rule?

As I said. There's something special happening with Breath of the Wild that other games are not able to replicate.

 

[Cheezeman3000]

I feel like Nintendo games in general do this, and Zelda is the best Nintendo game in the last decade so it makes sense. I'm not sure exactly why Nintendo games tend to have longer legs though.

 

[BRSxIgnition]

Because it's a Zelda game - don't those typically sell for a long time after release?

 

[SuperFakerBros]

It's the go to game for the Switch, a great example of a big budget console game that can be played on the go, and is far more appealing than previous Zelda titles, due to it's open world and free nature. Helps that Nintendo games in general are usually evergreen titles and are selling better than ever on the Switch, a system with the audience of a console but the hardware sales of a handheld

Because it's a Zelda game - don't those typically sell for a long time after release?

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Not really, at least not to the extent that BotW is

 

[Hero_Select]

[Please be joking, please be joking, please be joking...]

Click to shrink...

Probably not

 

[WestEgg]

Extremely powerful brand.

Basically synonymous with the Switch itself.

Potentially the best game of the last decade.

Tremendous word of mouth.

Emergent gameplay and non linearity make for great viral potential and replayability.

And many more reasons.

 

[Deleted member 2145]

because it's really fucking good and the Switch is still selling units

 

[Fire Bocchi]

its the game you buy when you a buy a switch

its like when you buy a ps4 or xbox,you buy gta v with it

 

[Lusamine]

There aren't that many options on the Switch for that kind of caliber-game.

 

[Poimandres]

It's an "ever green" title. There's definitely something to be said for Nintendo's approach of one entry per system (or at least spaced very far apart) instead of pumping out regular sequels.

There's really no competition for it on Switch, so it will be high on the list of titles that new console owners will pick up.

As a counterpoint, there are plenty of single player games that continue to sell over a period of years. Particularly popular open world games. They don't stay at full price of course, but nothing outside of Nintendo games ever does regardless of how well a title is selling...

 

[sredgrin]

It's a Switch attach game, and as the Switch rises, so does it. Outside of maybe Mario, it's the game people buy with their Switch. And while the library has rounded out, especially on the eshop indie front, there's only a few contenders for that must buy title at retail, though with Smash and Pokemon, that may change now.

 

[janusff]

Cause everyone that buys a switch buys BotW. It's the best reviewed game on the platform. All any parent needs to do is a minimal amount of research and they'll be like "oh it's a Zelda, I know about those" and buys the game when they get the console.

 

[Deleted member 4037]

Cause its a big first party game that got good reviews? If you want a game for the switch its one of the few huge titles on the system right now

 

[Sammy Samusu]

Extremely powerful brand.

Basically synonymous with the Switch itself.

Potentially the best game of the last decade.

Tremendous word of mouth.

Emergent gameplay and non linearity make for great viral potential and replayability.

And many more reasons.

Click to shrink...

So I guess it's not one reason, but a combination of many.

 

[Technosteve]

Memes

 

[Deleted member 46641]

Big first party exclusives tend to be evergreen, especially on Nintendo consoles. Breath of the wild is highly acclaimed and has broad appeal so that adds to the evergreen effect.

 

[SavoyPrime]

The name power definitely and the fact it's on the Switch.

 

[Deleted member 28131]

True. But why is Horizon and God of War no longer charting if that's the rule?

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C'mon mate... those 2 are good games but they aren't anywhere close to GOAT material like BOTW, Witcher 3 and RDR2.

 

[DC5remy]

Word of mouth, it being a great game and a must switch own?

 

[Deleted member 8861]

It's basically a must-own title, one of the most lauded exclusives in the last decade, and out on the newest mainstream console.

 

[jacks81x]

Nintendo first party games, especially the great ones, generally always have long legs in terms of sales. Franchises like Mario and Zelda have iconic status in the mainstream. When you buy a Nintendo system, you're going to buy a Mario or Zelda game. Even on a failed system (WiiU), first party games had incredible attach rates and long legs in sales.

 

[Kapryov]

It's a Nintendo Zelda game, those seem to sell pretty consistently.

I remember waiting for a while checking on OOT 3DS, and it was still full price. I never bought it...

 

[Braaier]

Nintendo Switch games drought.

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Lol

All these new owners saying shit there are no games for this thing. Guess I gotta buy this old ass belda game. Shit!

 

[Kouriozan]

Zelda joined the evergreen club, pretty crazy.

 

[texhnolyze]

C'mon mate... those 2 are good games but they aren't anywhere close to GOAT material like BOTW, Witcher 3 and RDR2.

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Yup. GOAT games keep on selling, not totally relying on launch month marketing.

 

[Slammin_Hammon]

The game is pretty good and a must own on the Switch. There also isn't much competition. What other game are you going to play on Switch that does what BOTW does? Compare that to other single player games, for example, why would people still buy AC: Origins when AC: Odyssey just came out?

 

[TheKidObi]

There aren't that many options on the Switch for that kind of caliber-game.

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This. Plus the word of mouth, when I get a switch it will be the first game I buy since everyone been talking about it as the goat.

C'mon mate... those 2 are good games but they aren't anywhere close to GOAT material like BOTW, Witcher 3 and RDR2.

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Other than story and environment what's goat about witcher 3 and RDR2? their gameplay is ass compared to GOW or Horizon

 

[Ra]

Because the Switch is still in new console phase? I mean everyone who buys a Switch is going to buy BOTW.

Seems pretty damn simple. That's before we get into how good the game is.

 

[Pyro]

Because it's Zelda. That and Mario are considered must buys for Switch owners and as long as the Switch keeps selling, so will Nintendo first party games.

 

[Dark Ninja]

Its a Nintendo game you have to be a sales and critical failure like Star Fox Zero to drop in price.

 

[Deleted member 4037]

Lol

All these new owners saying shit there are no games for this thing. Guess I gotta buy this old ass belda game. Shit!

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Well I think there is something to be said about competition, the only real big hitters with wide appeal on the system are BotW, Odyssey, and Spla2n. 3rd party is there but its not as big as first party nintendo titles and is a slow trickle. This is a console without a mainline pokemon game or animal crossing or smash, people buying units now are going to be more inclined to purchase the other 3 right now

 

[Philly Cheesesteak]

It's arguably the best game ever made, and absolutely the best game on the Switch.

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I wouldn't go that far, but good games sell.

 

[Bandage]

It's really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really good.

Really.

 

[Kayo Police]

It's Zelda.